Recently I talked about my Anti Bucket List, which included things I do not want in my life. One of my anti bucket list items was mindlessness.
Mindless living means coasting along the path of least resistance, going through the motions without putting much thought into what you are doing.
Fighting against mindlessness means expending effort. A more mindful life requires intentional choices, new mindsets, and improved habits. It requires making tradeoffs, sacrificing convenience or expectations in order to gain something you value, like greener living or sit-down meals with the family.
I won’t pretend that a mindful lifestyle is easy. It takes work. It takes motivation, intention and persistence. But I think it’s worth it, because a more mindful lifestyle means:
- You are living more in line with your values.
- You have chosen to spend your time on what matters to you.
- You grab more out of life because you are making the most of the moments as they go by.
None of us will become mindful overnight. We must fight against mindlessness every day. There will be days when we simply don’t have the energy to practice mindfulness. We must forgive ourselves and try again tomorrow.
But that doesn’t mean the battle isn’t worth fighting.
You and I can take one small step toward a more mindful life today. Here are some ideas to help you on your way.
Simple suggestions for a more mindful life today
- Practice random acts of mindfulness. Look for at least one opportunity each day where your heart whispers for you to jettison your schedule and soak up the moment. It might be dawdling on your way to lunch to watch a street performer or spending an extra ten minutes in the store because you bumped into an old neighbor. Don’t beat yourself up for wasting these moments, instead reward yourself for being intentional and mindful.
- Planning ahead is half the battle. Life has a habit of getting away from us. If you don’t plan ahead, the likelihood of breaking out of your standard rut is pretty low. You only have so much mental bandwidth in a day. In order to make a change to your habits or schedules you need to make choices when you are thinking clearly, not when you are tired, grumpy, hungry, or otherwise not in the mood for highfalutin self-improvement nonsense. Planning ahead will help you succeed.
- Embrace real rest. When you are exhausted you have no energy to pursue mindfulness. No one is able to keep going 24/7. In fact, studies show that all of us work better when we have adequate breaks and sleep. Maybe your first step toward mindfulness is to learn how to restore your body, mind, and soul, which may mean giving yourself permission to rest instead of always pushing yourself. Short mental breaks can make a world of difference. So can weekends off.
- Reduce your screen time. What is more mindless than wasting an hour watching silly cat videos or playing the latest smart phone game? Computers and other devices are critical for most of us, but they can also be major time-suckers. There are plenty of apps out there to help you limit your screen or social media usage. Take advantage of them. Or simply make a deal with yourself and block out times of the day when devices are off limits. (Hint: If you phone is not always in your pocket it is much less tempting. Do you really need to carry it around in your own home all the time?)
- Choose one doable goal. Is there a particular value you want to move closer to or a lifestyle habit you want to improve? Decide what a more mindful option would be. Then come up with a reasonable goal on your journey toward that ideal. For example, if you wanted to be more mindful about buying local, you might set a goal of stopping at a farm stand once a week instead of buying all your produce at the grocery store. If you wanted to add more variety to your weekends, set a goal of going somewhere new once a month.
- Find one tradeoff. We can’t have it all, and we can’t do it all. Identify one expectation that you are willing to give up in order to gain something you want more. For example, you may need to give up an expectation like cleaning the bathrooms every day or keeping the flowerbeds weed-free in order to gain more time for family or a hobby.
I hope these simple ideas will help you on your journey to a more mindful and meaningful life.
May you have success in moving closer to your values and develop the habit of enjoying a few simple everyday pleasures along the way.
